01-April, Round TEN

Semi-Finals decided

Tonight was the last round of league action, and in Group A season-long leaders Duffield were already guaranteed top spot and a home semi-final, but four teams were still in the hunt for second place at the start of tonight’s matches.

Nottingham got the win they needed at struggling Pontefract, but results elsewhere meant they fell short of the playoffs. Birmingham pushed Duffield all the way to a decider, but as that match went on news came through that Chapel A had gone 3-1 up at Coolhurst, that result ending the home team’s hopes and also putting Chapel A out of the reach of Birmingham. In the final matches Birmingham completed the win while Coolhurst’s Simon Rosner won for the home side as midnight approached.

In group B it would have needed extraordinary results for Surrey and Exeter not to qualify in that order. Defending champions Surrey quickly wrapped up a win at Winchester, and Exeter took the handful of points they needed at home to Chichester, although the match went to a decider which the visitors won to finish third in the table. Meanwhile Bristol ended the season on a high with a 5-0 win away at St George’s, drawing level with them on 114 points.

So in next week’s semi-finals Duffield will play Exeter, and Surrey will host Chapel A.